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PETER READ
3rd January 1945 - 5th February 2020

Pete Read was born in Goole, he was the oldest spring 1986 a completely changed person. I was
of three children. He attended Selby Technical now 41 years old and won my first open 25 by a
College and when he left school, he had a margin of over 2 minutes.... I knew then, that for
number of jobs before joining the family jewellery anyone struggling to make the grade, methodical
firm, where he worked until 1985. structured training was the way to go!"
In the cycling world Pete wrote several manuals Whilst continuing to race, initially with Goole
on structured turbo training using heart rate Vermuyden CC and later VC York, Pete made
monitoring. In his 'Blue Book' he described his big improvements, setting personal best times
introduction to the sport, although his modesty and winning events. He qualified as an ABBC
meant he rarely talked much about himself. "I coach and left the family firm to concentrate on
started riding the bike in February 1978 at the his cycle coaching. Pete soon started to build a
age of 33. My eldest reputation and worked
son Julian was then with individual riders on
almost 14 and just personal training
becoming interested in programmes, one of the
the sport. Because of first to do so, and he
his age I naturally held training sessions
thought I would with cycling clubs. He
accompany him.... wrote three books
Within a few weeks I about turbo training,
was 'bitten' and started setting out generic
riding time trials. I training programmes
continued with very little which involved turbo
success until autumn training and heart rate
1985, my training was zones.
generally haphazard Keith Murray was one
and rather hit'n'miss. of Pete’s coached
My relative lack of
riders and in 1997 he
success in those seven
broke the military world
years caused me to
hour record; this led to
seriously look at my cycling career ..... I decided
the formation of a small racing team - Pete Read
to try one more season, but to devise my own
Racing - for the 1998 season. The team
training methods."
announced its arrival on the scene in 1999 by
"During autumn 1985 I saw an advertisement for winning the men's national 50 team prize, which
a "wind load simulator", or "turbo trainer" as they they retained in 2000 and 2001. The women’s
are now known. I located one and knuckled team also won the British Best All Rounder in
down to experimenting with various structured 2000 and 2001. This success was down to
training programmes. I couldn't ask anyone for Pete's vision and his ability to motivate and
advice because this was the first turbo I, or prepare riders to succeed. In 2005 Pete Read
anyone I knew, had ever seen. I was entirely on Racing became Team Swift in recognition of the
my own for the winter 1985/6. I emerged in support that Swift Caravans provided for the

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